Kylian Mbappe reflected candidly on his Euro 2024 journey following France’s 2-1 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals, saying it was a failure.
Despite Kolo Muani giving France an early lead, goals from Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo turned the tide in Spain’s favor, sealing their spot in the final against either England or the Netherlands.
Mbappe, who had a chance to level the score late in the game, admitted his personal disappointment with his performance throughout the tournament. “In football, you’re either good or not good. I wasn’t good. My Euro was a failure,” he lamented.
The 25-year-old, who will soon join Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain, expressed his desire to recharge during the upcoming break.
“I wanted to win the European championship. Now, I’ll take a vacation, rest well, and prepare for a fresh start. There’s a lot ahead,” Mbappe added.
Having previously won the World Cup with France in 2018 and narrowly missed out on defending their title in 2022, Mbappe acknowledged the challenges he faced at Euro 2024.
He notably struggled with a protective face mask after breaking his nose early in the tournament, which he felt affected his performances. “I had enough of the mask. It was impacting my game, so I decided to play without it,” he explained.
French manager Didier Deschamps recognized Mbappe’s difficulties during the tournament, attributing them to both physical and tactical challenges. “Kylian had some physical issues coming into the tournament, compounded by the injury to his nose. It was tough for him, but we did our best to support him,” Deschamps remarked.
Despite the disappointment, Mbappe remains focused on the future, aiming to bounce back stronger in the seasons to come.
